The Youthful Impact
by Skeletonthatdrinkrootbeer
Summary: Maito Gai felt heart-inspired by a blond kid's 'declaration' and decided to train him in power of youth.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:**The Youthful Impact

**Rating:**T for violence

**Disclaimer:**Naruto belong to its creator: Masashi Kishimoto.

**Warning:**AU (alternate universe) characters.

**Summary:** Maito Gai felt heart-inspired by a blond kid's 'declaration' and decided to train him in power of youth.

"Talking"

**"Talking"**

"_Thinking"_

**_"Thinking"_**

**Prologue**

**In the Hokage's office…Night time...**

An old man in red and white garbs could be seen reading his favorite novel of all time, which is Icha Icha Paradise instead of doing paperwork that is stacked on his desk. He giggled perversely as his eyes moved from paragraph to paragraph, taking in detail.

"Oh ho ho ho. Yukihime, you naughty girl." Sandaime Hokage spoke, giggling before he flipped the next page with his wrinkled hand. Suddenly, his sharp hearing picked up the sound of his door about to be open. Using his ninja reflex, he quickly hid his favorite orange book inside one of his desk drawer, grab random paper and pretend to be reading with serious expression on his face. For further dramatic effect, he has shadow, created by light and Hokage hat, covered upper portion of his face. A second later, the door opened and to his inner relief, it's not his secretary.

"Hokage-sama. I'm here to give the official result of Team Seven's genin test." Hatake Kakashi said coolly as he stood front of his superior's desk. The Sandaime put a paper down on the surface.

"Good, " the Sandaime Hokage's eyes briefly lie on Kakashi's bandaged first two right hand fingers before he continued, "I see you got your fingers fixed after the... genin test."

"...Hai, Hokage-sama." Kakashi answered. It took two medic-nins and few hours to heal the broken fingers and few minutes to fill the paperwork to get out of hospital. It will take week or two for his fingers to be fully fixed. Because of this, he has missed the meeting where all other jounin sensei reported their team success or failure.

"The result, Kakashi."

"Hai. Team Seven has...passed the test, Hokage-sama." Receiving nod from the Sandaime, Kakashi spoke, "At first, they seem to be like all the previous genin hopefuls as they did not bother to work together, due to their conflicting personality. Two of them decided to take me on in one vs one in ninjutsu and taijutsu. Although they each shown skill and have promising potential with first one in ninjutsu and second one in...taijutsu, both of them lost with the second one broke my fingers..."

Kakashi paused briefly before correcting himself, "Well, it's more as I broke my fingers from using **that** jutsu on him." Kakashi placed an emphasis on the word 'that'. It was embarrassing and depressing moment. His reputation could be ruined if the news of a high A-rank ninja like him broke his fingers in a mere genin test, even when he was holding back, get out. Thankfully, the hospital has policy regarding the patient information and serious consequence for breaking the policy.

"_But still…I should've known better than using __**that**__ jutsu on him who dressed like…__**him**_." Kakashi thought and mentally shuddered, "_Ugh…felt like the brick wall_…"

"I see...That explained the state of your fingers. Continue." the third Hokage said, understanding what Kakashi mean 'that jutsu'. After all, he too used** that** jutsu though less often since he became the Hokage.

Kakashi nodded and obliged, "After putting first two temporarily out of fight, I searched for the third one and used one of the weakest genjutsu on her, thinking that she'll detect it and dispel it...She failed to and immediately fainted on spot." He shook his head in disappointment. How she passed the academy tests, Kakashi wondered. He resumed.

"Few minutes after she fainted, I was assaulted by other two who have recovered. Unlike the previous 'match', it was 2 on 1 with both of them using teamwork. I was on defensive, dodging their attacks until the timer ringed, signaling the time's up."

"I assumed you tied her up to a log, gave the lunch bento to other two, and told them not to feed her while you 'have to leave for something'?" Sandaime Hokage asked as he held his hands together on his desk. He raised his left eyebrow up when he saw Kakashi sported sheepish look.

"Err…Almost." Seeing the look from his superior, Kakashi elaborated, "Yes, all but last one happened. When I told them not to feed her, one of them jumped into long informative explanation of why we should not miss lunch and how lunch is the most important meal of the day before proclaiming how teamwork is important and quoted, 'If one lose, a whole team will share defeat!'. He gave the lunch bento back to me and sat right next to her, smiling and giving her thumb up."

Kakashi paused briefly to sigh and resumed, "As soon as he sat down, the other boy followed the suit and mentioned that despite seeing them as burdens, they're still of Konoha." He admitted that he felt surprised when he heard him said that as he had read the academy reports, which are now useless, before the bell test.

"And you passed them."

"Hai, Hokage-sama…They were willing to starve along with her, despite her being…loud." Kakashi answered calmly.

The old Hokage nodded in knowing manner as there is a mother, who's louder than daughter and has poor attitude that made him wish that he could order someone to stitch her mouth shut. Unfortunately, she has backing of the civilian council members who shared equal level of stupidity. Especially it comes to sensitive topic such as the one who has been assigned on Team Seven.

"I see…" the Sandaime Hokage spoke as he got off his chair and walked to one of the cabinets to grab a light brown folder, containing Team Seven information. Sitting back down on his chair, he lifted his approval stamp and opened the folder to the first page. He stared at the boxes on the paper before stamping.

_Thuk_

The box under the word 'Passed' has been marked, signaling that Team Seven is now part of the shinobi force. Looking at Kakashi, he declared, "Team Seven is now official. Train them well, Kakashi."

"Hai, Hokage-sama…Going to be interesting years with them." Kakashi commented. This made the Hokage chuckled and told him that he may leave. Kakashi nodded and turned to leave but stopped before the door.

"Kakashi." Hokage called.

"Hai?" A now official sensei of Team Seven looks back at the Hokage.

"I'm sure that you know this now after the bell test, but you are now forbidden from using Thousand Years of Death jutsu on fellow Leaf nin. It has proven to be too lethal." The Hokage told him with straight face. At this, Kakashi showed sheepish expression and rubbed back of his head while the Hokage broke his serious look and grinned.

As soon as a silver hair man left, the Hokage stared at the Team Seven folder with his eyes on the list of team members, particularly on the name 'Maito Naruto'. He briefly chuckled before shuddering when he heard an echoing sound that sound like Maito Gai from somewhere.

"_With no doubt, he is proud of Naruto's youthful success_." The Sandaime thought as he smiled and closed the folder before placing it along with other team folders. "_Naruto has taken the first step into the shinobi world_."

An old man sighed when he noticed that the amount of paperwork, sitting on his desk, has somehow gotten taller.

"Cursed paperwork." he grumbled as he grab the top paper and began to read. Icha Icha novel will have to wait.

* * *

**Author: **What do you think?


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:**The Youthful Impact

**Rating:**T for violence

**Disclaimer:**Naruto belong to its creator: Masashi Kishimoto.

**Warning:**AU (alternate universe) characters.

**Summary:** Maito Gai felt heart-inspired by a blond kid's 'declaration' and decided to train him in power of youth.

"Talking"

**"Talking"**

"_Thinking"_

_**"Thinking"**_

**Ch 1**

**Next day…11:31 AM…Training Ground…**

A group of three recently made genin, consisted of two boys and one girl, could be seen waiting in same training ground from yesterday where they passed their official genin test. The black duck butt hair boy, Uchiha Sasuke, is currently sitting on one of three training logs with his head resting on his joined hands with elbows on knees. On his face is a bored expression, an expression that he must have thought that he'll look cool with it. As usual, he is wearing a navy blue collar shirt, white short, white armbands, blue shinobi sandals, and an official Konoha shinobi headband located on his forehead.

"-and I thought we should have our date-just two of us-at this amazing restaurant..." an annoying girl with long pink hair, standing next to a log that Sasuke sitting on, blabbered while making random arm motions. Sasuke mentally shuddered when a pink haired chatterbox known as Haruno Sakura let out a fangirl squeal and presumably goes into fantasy for hundredth time. Sakura has red dress, black short, blue sandals, and a headband on top of her head like a hair

"_Grr...What's taking him so damn long?_" Sasuke thought irritably as he scanned the training ground for a silver hair jounin who is Team Seven's sensei who was supposed to be here at 8:00 AM. To his irritation, no sign of said sensei. Sasuke resumed his bored look and his attempt to ignore Sakura, who just popped out of her fangirl fantasy and continued to blabbered some random topics that he doesn't care enough to listen. His ears picked up a voice that belong to his other team mate. He turned his head slightly to see a blond hair boy counting while doing push ups.

"Ninety-four...Ninety-five...Ninety-six..." a blond kid grunting the number as he pushed his upper body up and down with sweat being visible on his forehead that's not occupied by his headband. Instead, his navy blue cloth headband is wrapped around his waist. He has just done hundred sit-ups, hundred chin ups (by using a tree), and taijutsu practice (against imaginary enemies).

"_...At least, Naruto is more useful than this banshee and is doing something productive..._" Sasuke thought as he stared at Naruto, who's wearing short-sleeves green spandex suit, orange wristbands and legwarmers, and navy blue sandals. Despite slightly scrawny looking arms that Naruto have, he could still pack a punch. Sasuke felt an imaginary pain in his jaw and abdomen. He remembered all those painful beating he took in every taijutsu sparring against Naruto. He's pretty sure that other guys such as loudmouth Inubuka Kaiba something remembered painful beating too. As much as he hate to admit, but ever since Naruto has greatly improved his taijutsu skill, he became the beast in taijutsu.

"...One hundred...Now to..." Naruto finally reached 100 and stood up on the ground. Seeing Sasuke looking at him, Naruto quickly wiped his sweat off his forehead and flashed his wide, shiny teeth and thumb up at Sasuke, who merely grunted, not bothered by Naruto's shiny teeth as he's used to it since Naruto grin throughout the academy years. Sasuke has long ago gave up on figuring out how to

"Oi Sasuke! I have an idea!" Naruto hollered out in cheerful tone, snapping Sakura out of her fantasy that she fell into and look at Naruto. Looking at spandex suit Naruto's wearing, she barely held back shudder.

"...What." Sasuke said in bored tone.

"Let spar!"

Sasuke has no desire to spar and to his relief, a certain silver gravity-defying hair man appeared out of nowhere and merely said "Yo."

Sakura, upon seeing Kakashi-sensei, jumped and screeched, "WHY YOU'RE THREE HOURS LATE!" in loud volume that hurt Kakashi's and Sasuke's ears while pointing her finger at him. Before Kakashi-sensei could answer, Naruto zoomed right next to Sakura and Sasuke, who just hopped off a log, and shouted, "SENSEI! WE ARE READY!" in equally loud volume.

"Oh?" Kakashi said in amused tone, "Ready for cho-missions?" He was about to say chores, but quickly said missions since the newly Team Seven has yet to experience the missions that most genin and above hate doing them. The word "missions" caused Sasuke to raise his eyebrow as he wasn't expecting to start off with doing the missions. He was expecting the team sensei to train him and his two team mates. To get stronger, to gain power. The power to achieve his ambition. To-

"Missions?" Naruto said, "HAI! WE'RE PREPARED TO DO THE MISSIONS, SENSEI!" still in loud volume. Kakashi chuckled as out of three genins, Naruto looks eager and enthusiastic while Sasuke looks disinterest and Sakura staring at her crush. "W_ell, while he seems to be loud and...still wearing green spandex...he doesn't seems to bad as him._" Kakashi thought, looking at his genin charges. He cleared his throat and began, "Alright, team. Let's head to the Hokage Tower to pick up some missions."

"_This is going to be amusing once they see what kind of missions_." Kakashi mentally thought as he leads his genin team.

**Later...At the Hokage Tower...**

"Well, Team Seven..." Sui, a random unimportant chuunin who's in charge of handling the low ranking missions whenever the Hokage is too busy, spoke in dull tone with Team Seven standing front of him, "Here are your missions. They're all D-rank, since you are new." Sui handed several folders that contain the details about the missions to Team Seven sensei who nodded and was about to open the first folder when Naruto hollered out.

"YEAH! We shall do our best to complete the mission with every fiber of our being!" Naruto, to Kakashi's horror after turning around to face him, raise his right hand and gave thumb up while grinning with his shiny healthy looking teeth showing before Kakashi and Sui.

"_Damn...He know how to pose like **him**..._" Kakashi mentally groaned, "_Though...I have to say...That's healthiest looking teeth I've ever seen_."

"Naruto! Use inside volume!" Sakura shrieked louder than Naruto. She would hit Naruto in head, but she's standing other side of Sasuke, who merely grunted.

"_Stupid banshee. You're louder than him._" Sasuke thought.

"Yeah whatever, kid...They're only D-rank. Now...Could you leave? The missions aren't going to complete themselves..." Sui said in monotone with blank face. Looking at Naruto's flashing white teeth, Sui wondered what kind of toothpaste does Naruto use and how often does he brush his teeth to get them that shiny and healthy appearance.

"_Only D-rank?_" Sasuke thought as he doesn't like the way a chuunin said. "_Does it means D-rank missions are waste of time...?_"

"Ha ha...He's right" Kakashi said, addressing his three genins, "Alright, Team Seven...We stay long enough. Let's head out to our first mission."

As soon as Team Seven left, Sui sighed and resume organizing the mission folders into appropriate categories.

**Eleven minutes later...In location where Team Seven would start their first mission...**

Team Seven, after walking out of the Hokage Tower, passing dozen blocks, and walking into the apartment building, found themselves standing front of plain looking wooden door with the number "217" next to it. Kakashi put his favorite orange book that he has been reading (somehow led his team to right location without bumping into anyone or anything with bandaged fingers) away into his pocket and began to address his genins.

"Remember, team. Be respectful to our clients as they are paying us."

All three genins nodded with Naurto nodding furiously. Seeing this, Kakashi turned around and knocked against the door few times. A grumpy male voice called out, "Who is it and what you want?"

"We're Team Seven. You have requested for us to help you with something." Kakashi answered. He know what the first mission is about, but he purposely made his answer vague so he can see his genins' reaction. Just as his sensei had done to him when he was young.

"Bout time you shinobi get here." a grumpy voice said and the sound of door being unlocked could be heard. The door opened and an average looking black hair middle age man, wearing plain brown shirt and tan short, with grumpy expression. "Alright, let's get you bunch started. Hold on, lemme grab my stick and hat." Couple seconds later, a grumpy man walked out, with gardener's hat on and walking cane, and locked his door before beckon Team Seven to follow man.

Kakashi glance at Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto. He could see Sakura and Sasuke look puzzled while Naruto still look excited and eager. Silently chuckling, he and his team follow. Team Seven and a grumpy man walked on street that run along one of small rivers in Konoha and crossed a bridge. Later, they finally arrived to their destination, a large garden.

Sasuke, seeing this, scoffed and mentally groaned, "_Don't tell me...THIS is our first mission?_" He stared at the garden that has weed sticking out everywhere.

Sakura shared Sasuke's thought, "_What is this? This can't be our first mission! I'll get my hair and dress dirty!_"

Naruto has different mind and shouted, "YEAH! We're going to pull weeds out!", causing Sasuke and Sakura to stare at him as he's crazy.

"That's right, you brats!" a grumpy man said, "You bunch will make this garden weed-free." With his walking cane, he walked to where couple buckets sitting next to small shack. "Here, use these buckets for weeds! Once the bucket get full, dump it into this hole here. " He pointed his finger at man hole next to the buckets and resumed, "This shouldn't take you more than an hour! Now, start pulling them!"

Sasuke began, "You got to be f-"

Naruto interrupted by shouting, "Don't worry, my youthful man! We shall get this done in less than ten minutes!" Kakashi stared at him in horror, because he's channeling **HIM **by giving good guy pose and that he used the Y word.

"What? Ten minutes?" Sakura screamed, "Are you blind? Look at the garden! It's massive!"

"Shut up, brats! You're here to pull weeds, not to whine! Now start PULLING! I better not see a single weed in this garden by the time I return." a grumpy man spoke. Without saying anything, he walked away to do his business, leaving Team Seven alone with the garden.

Kakashi quickly gather his cool and cheerfully said, "Well, you heard our client. Grab a bucket and start pulling weeds." He walked to a bench and pulled out an orange book.

"You're not going to help us, sensei?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi merely eye-smiled and flipped a page before giggling like stereotypical schoolgirl. Sakura growled and Sasuke, while schooling his typical Uchiha scowl, mentally groaned while Naruto simply ran to grab a bucket and start pulling the weeds out. The weeds popped out of the ground with his strength.

"_I don't believe this crap...I'm an Uchiha. This is below me._" Sasuke grumbled in his mind as he slowly moved toward the buckets.

**Later...After completing the first chor-mission...**

"That wasn't so bad. Right, comrades?" Naruto happily asked Sakura and Sasuke, who are dirtier than him, after dumping the weeds into the hole. He received glares from them as unlike them, his spandex suit remained clean with his hands and wristbands covered with dirt which he doesn't mind. After all, pulling weeds could count as workout for his arm muscles and back. Out of all, he pulled the most weeds. Not to mention that it was done to help Konoha to stay the most youthful shinobi village as his father said.

"Shut up, brute..." Sakura growled, calling her blond hair team mate "brute" since he's only good at taijutsu but scored average in other subjects during academy. Sakura groaned as she made another attempt to brush dirt off her now dirty red dress that she has purchased years ago along with other eleven same styled red dresses in futile hope of gaining her crush's attention. Futile hope is futile.

Naruto frowned at being called "brute" as to him, it signified him as "all strength, but no brain". Sakura and other Sasuke's fangirls in academy have started referring him as brute after they witnessed Naruto's first victory over Sasuke in taijutsu spar. In their perspective, it was the biggest sin. A no-no in their book. To Naruto, it was one of the happiest moments and it was all thanks to his adopted father, who has trained him in taijutsu and the power of Youth.

"_That's right...Father said it's un-youthful to think about that_." Naruto thought, remembering what his father told him when he found him alone in home dojo, taking his anger on poor training dummy on the day of his first victory over Sasuke. His father, despite his reputation among the shinobi and some civilians as one of most "bizarre freak with poor fashion sense", knows what to say. To make him happy, to encourage him to keep going and stay strong, and to motivate him in training, his favorite thing to do.

With that in mind, he quickly changed his frown into grin and said, "Don't worry, comrade! I'm sure you will get better and will obtain the Youth!"

Sakura, now tending to her hair, growled while Sasuke merely made "Uhn..." sound, causing her to instantly fell into fangirl mode and began to admire him. Naruto's grin faltered slightly when seeing this. It seems Sakura will continue to be un-youthful. Naruto thought she would become youthful since yesterday as being shinobi is long, harsh career, requiring him and his team mates to train harder, to improve themselves under Kakashi-sensei-s guidance.

"_Now I thought about it. I wonder if Kakashi-sensei can train us in taijutsu? Didn't father said Kakashi-sensei sometime beat him in few taijutsu with some forbidden taijutsu moves?_" Naruto thought, sporting thoughtful look on face, "_I'm glad I wore that Anti-1000 Un-youthful Years something Protection yesterday._" He remembered his father has described how un-youthful that jutsu was and to counter it, he made homemade small opal-shaped rear protection with butt curves as to make protection blend in and not stick out when wearing youthful spandex suit. Father has made Naruto one which he still wearing under his spandex suit as no preteen should get rear "un-youthified" by 1000 Un-youthful Years jutsu, which is basically a kancho.

"Okay, Team Seven," Kakashi-sensei said, eye-smiling as he walked to them after chatting with a grumpy gardener, "No time to waste. We have more missions."

"Yeah! More missions!" Naruto cheered as it would means more workout. This made gray-hair sensei amused as Naruto has positive attitude. An attitude that is similar to **Him**. Yup, this is going to be interesting time with Naruto on his team, though he still think he's slightly creepy with him using the Y word while wearing that green spandex suit. While he doesn't pay attention to fashion much, he thought blond hair and green spandex suit do not mix together. His eyes changed to Sakura the fangirl before Sasuke the gloomy one.

"_Yeah...red dress is shinobi-like..._" Kakashi-sensei mentally snorted.

Team Seven began to walk away from now weed-free garden to do the other D-rank missions, ranging from babysitting to catching daimyo's wife's cat named Tora. More "fun" for his genins and more time for him to read Icha Icha. Maybe he'll give them a lunch break after doing the second mission and perhaps have them do few team exercises afterward.

* * *

**Author: **Voila, that's how first day of Team Seven as genins went. What do you think about Naruto's short sleeve green spandex and orange wrist bands?

I know I didn't do much on Naruto's personality but I will make it more clearer in next chapter. Personality-wise, he won't be like Gai or Rock Lee, though his attitude will still be youthful.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:**The Youthful Impact

**Rating:**T for violence

**Disclaimer:**Naruto belong to its creator: Masashi Kishimoto.

**Warning:**AU (alternate universe) characters.

**Summary:** Maito Gai felt heart-inspired by a blond kid's 'declaration' and decided to train him in power of youth.

"Talking"

**"Talking"**

"_Thinking"_

_**"Thinking"**_

**Ch 2**

**2 week later…Morning…Team 7's meeting place…**

Naruto is currently performing chin-ups on a tree's branch with his left hand on it and his right hand being behind his back while bending his legs 90 degree. He muttered, "Sixty-three...Sixty-four..." as he pulled himself up and down. He has been doing exercises or rather "warm-ups before missions" for an hour, after getting up at 5:56 morning and performing activities that he usually do (and has been doing for over five years) at home before leaving such as morning push-ups and sit-ups (sometime with father and Rock), putting on youthful spandex suit, more sit-ups and push-ups, duck walking or handstand walking to bathroom then to kitchen where he would eat nutritious and youthful breakfast (vitamins, minerals, and all), and youthfully screamed "Bye, father! Bye, brother!" before leaving home to Team Seven meeting place. A place where the silver hair sensei said to meet at 8:00, but since he has been coming three hours late for fourteen days straight (15 if you count the day of official genin test), it will be 11:00 afternoon.

As with yesterday and previous days, it took him almost twenty minutes to reach his team meeting place with him walking on hands. Not many people save shopkeepers and shinobi get up before 8:00 morning and thus, the streets are empty which is good as Naruto doesn't want to accidentally hit someone in face while hand walking. Especially when his legs strapped with some weight. As before, he was the first one to arrive and ten to twenty minutes later, Sasuke would appeared, followed by Sukara ten minutes later.

Naruto, while doing chin-ups, turned his head to right where Sasuke, who's still practicing his taijutsu, the Uchiha Interceptor Fist (his clan taijutsu) that he started on four days ago, after he got irritated with waiting for tardy sensei. When Naruto told him that instead of waiting and brooding, he could practice his taijutsu or something, which Sasuke agreed to youthful suggestion. Shame, he still refuse to spar with him but Naruto figured he doesn't want to risk an injury before the missions (disgraceful chores in Sasuke's and Sakura's opinion).

Well, at least Sasuke is being productive, unlike Sakura who's currently sitting on a rock and staring at him, periodically sighing with her chin resting between her hands. That's it. As with Sasuke, he has made same youthful suggestion to Sakura and he was met with a heated glare and got called 'dumb brute' for suggesting that to a 'lady' and for attempting to obstruct her from her true love: Sasuke-kun. How, Naruto has no idea. He was just trying to give a simple suggestion to Sasuke and Sakura, because there's no way that he's going to be only one to be training or warm up while other two just 'do nothing' for three hours everyday before tardy sensei arrived and give poor excuses on why he's late.

Even Naruto, raised by Maito Gai, doesn't believed them. He doesn't know why sensei's tardy and to the way he acted in last couple days, he doesn't seem to take his duty as team sensei seriously. It's just unyouthful, in Naruto's eyes. Knowing that some people preferred their privacy, Naruto didn't bother with asking Kakashi-sensei about the reason for three hour tardiness. Instead, he made a request in polite way, "Please come on time, sensei" to him and didn't get an answer other than him eye-smiling.

When his father came back home with Rock from tough C-rank mission that took a week two days ago, Naruto asked father if Kakashi-sensei really his eternal rival as he has proclaimed (with current score being in Kakashi's favor). Father has answered positively and asked why. When Naruto explained Kakashi-sensei's behavior, he remembered how his father's expression changed from usual to seriousness for brief moment. Father told him to spar with Rock for while and not to forget to eat dinner before going to sleep while father will have a chat with his 'eternal rival'. So Naruto and Rock did and they have good spar, as usual with both of them trained in Strong Fist Style.

Before Naruto could ponder more about that, he heard Sakura's scream.

"YOU'RE LA...EARLY!"

"_Huh_?" Naruto thought as he shook his head and just noticed that Kakashi-sensei is here, punctual with Sakura pointing her finger at him. Kakashi-sensei didn't say anything to Sakura's stare, instead he merely gestured Naruto and Sasuke to come over to him. Upon standing close to Kakashi, Naruto noticed that a silver hair man look tired and wondered if his father has anything to do with this. Instead of sporting eye-smiling expression, Kakashi-sensei has serious look.

Kakashi, after looking at questioning looks on his charges, cleared his throat and spoke, "Team Seven...As you noticed, I'm here right on time-"

"How nice..." Sakura muttered with Sasuke letting out a grunt. Kakashi continued, "And for while, I have have been thinking about what we have done for last two weeks and the progress we have made..."

"Which wasn't productive." Sasuke muttered, causing the sensei to paused briefly, but nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I realized that I haven't manage our time effectively and spending most of the time on doing these chor-missions doesn't help other than for easy source of money. Thus, I have an announcement."

All three genins slightly leaned forward to hear what the sensei going to say next.

"I decided that we will be following different schedule, depending on...one to one evaluation." Kakashi-sensei said.

"Evaluation, sensei?" Naruta repeated.

"Yes, so I can get more...clear detail about your strengths and weaknesses by sparring, starting with Sakura."

"S-sparring?" Sakura suddenly bore nervous look.

"That's right. Something that I should have done on the first day." Addressing to Sasuke and Naruto, "If you two please stand right over there...Now, Sakura...We will start with taijutsu. I want you to go on offensive for 5 minutes. Throw everything you have at me..."

**Almost two hours later...**

Naruto, still standing, could be seen huffing when Kakashi-sensei announced, "All right. The last portion of evaluation is done. You did well, Naruto. Take a short break. I will call you after I'm done with Sakura and Sasuke."

Naruto nodded, still breathing heavily. He could still feel adrenaline pumping through his body. The last portion of evaluation was about dodging and speed for time period where he has to avoid getting touch by Kakashi. Naruto has pushed his body hard with running and performing high pace gymnastic stunts just to avoid Kakashi's tap (showing less bandages compared to last week, meaning his fingers are getting better). Naruto thought it was fun and thought dodging would make good workout for speed and reflex. Maybe he could do it with his brother, who's on same team with father, in spare time.

He could see Kakashi talking to Sakura meters away from his and Sasuke's position. He frowned when Sakura appeared to have her head bow down. While he couldn't hear, he has some idea. Minutes later, he saw Kakashi lifted both of his hands off Sakura and said something, causing Sakura to nodded slowly before walking toward Naruto and Sasuke. He could almost feel depressing aura around Sakura, still have her head down. Naruto wondered if she cried after he heard sniffing sound from her when she sat down on a rock without acknowledging Sasuke or him.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi-sensei called out from the distance. Looking at Sasuke, Naruto could swore that he saw a slight concern on his face but Sasuke went back to bored look without saying anything. He got off a rock that he has been sitting on and walked to where sensei standing at.

Looking back at Sakura, Naruto wondered whether to go to her and ask if she's okay or not. While she has been insulting and unyouthful to him since the academy years and that Naruto has occasionally held rather negative (and unyouthful) thought about her, she is still comrade.

"_Right?_" Naruto mentally asked himself, weighing on course of action. Deciding that Sakura is part of Team Seven's 'well-being' as his father did described how the population is like blood and cells of Konoha and the same with the shinobi teams, Naruto decided that it wouldn't do good for Team Seven if Sakura, making up one-fourth of the team, is miserable. He moved close enough for Sakura to hear and asked, "Are you alright, Sakura?"

"...I'm fine." She said after few seconds. Naruto waited for more, but Sakura wiped something off and lifted her head up. He could see that her eyes are red. "_Must be harsh with her_." Naruto thought, remembering how abyssal Sakura's performance whenever it was her turn for more of evaluation. She has barely last more than three minutes against Kakashi-sensei in majority of evaluation.

"You sure-" Naruto got cut off by Sakura who snapped at him, "No! I'm not sure! I did terrible and pathetic! Disgustingly pathetic, okay?!..." Her voice lowered in volume, "I'm a disgrace to shinobi..."

"That's not-"

"Shut up, brute!" Her voice went back to loud, "I saw the way you and Sasuke look at me. How stupid and embarrassing I look, I bet. Even from last week, when we were doing those stupid chores." Her hands clenched into fists as she took a breath. Seeing Naruto was about to say something, she snapped again, "Save it! Just don't say anything." She took another breath and lays her face into hands with her elbows on her knees. There was a silence between them.

"_She...looks angry and...disgusted at herself. Different from before evaluation began..._" Naruto thought as he stared at the ground. He wasn't sure what to say as he's not good with words.

"Naruto!" Kakashi's voice snapped Naruto out of random thought in his mind after six minutes. Sasuke came back and has already sat down on same rock from earlier. Like Sakura, Sasuke look angry and probably didn't took well from sensei's criticism. As if sensing Naruto's look, Sasuke gave 'don't bother asking me' look and Naruto simply stood up, feeling rested from short break, and moved to Kakashi-sensei, mentally preparing himself for the criticism.

"Yes, sensei?" Naruto said, standing front of Kakashi-sensei who stared at him for while. Kakashi-sensei sighed and began, "Naruto. As you, no doubt, notice Sakura's and Sasuke's reaction to criticism...As with them, I'm going to start off with positive feedback on your performance."

Naruto didn't say anything and waited.

"Naruto. Compared to Sakura and Sasuke, you have the highest endurance and the fastest. Almost low chuunin speed. I also felt the strength you put into your blows when I blocked them. Impressive. You have...good foundation in taijutsu, thanks to your father, who's a well-known taijutsu specialist in Konoha. As brutal as his training,you have good reflex and the number of moves you've used against me. As I said earlier in last portion of evaluation, you did well in some portions." Kakashi-sensei paused and continued while Naruo smiled happily at praise.

"That's not all. I have been observing your performance from last two weeks when we were doing the missions and...teamwork exercises. You have work hard and shown enthusiasm, even for D-rank missions." Kakashi-sensei shook his head in amusement, "You have tried to be helpful to Sakura and Sasuke. That's good as you helped Sasuke to be productive." His voice slowly went from friendly to serious. The same with his eye.

"Now onto the negative feedback...Are you ready, Naruto?"

Naruto, no longer smiling, nodded and answered, "I'm ready, sensei." He mentally steeled himself for incoming criticism.

"Good. Where to start...I know how often you trained in taijutsu and physical workouts with your father and brother...Yes, I'm aware of his condition. However, compared to them, you have really healthy chakra network. Not to mention larger capacity than Sasuke and Sakura combined."

"_And mine_." Kakashi mentally said while still looking at Naruto.

"And I'm disappointed in your performance in ninjutsu portion. The speed of the hand seals you went through is lower then the average genin. Slow as Sakura. I know you said that you want to be the taijutsu master weeks ago but I have to ask, Naruto. How often do you practice your ninjutsu?"

"...Not very often, sensei." Naruto answered, boring solemn look. It is true, he hasn't thought much about practicing ninjutsu, which consisted of two low level: Henge and Substitution. He still couldn't perform the Clone jutsu that kept spawning sick looking duplication that just drop dead immediately after appearance.

Kakashi-sensei sighed and said, "Well, you will be trained in ninjutsu, which will start after lunch... While it's not bad idea to specialize, it would be better if you have more than just taijutsu. As something to fall on and as an alternative to...throwing kunai which you need to work on hitting mobile target. It is below the average. How did you pass the kunai and shuriken throwing test?"

"Err...They only tested us on hitting stationary targets..."

"Right, they lowered the standard." Kakashi-sensei muttered in low tone that Naruto could barely understand. His eye then lays on Naruto's wristbands and legwarmers before asking, "Am I correct to assume that you are currently wearing the weights, Naruto?"

"Yes."

"How much?"

"64 kilograms total."

"Including the wristbands?"

"Hai." Naruto nodded.

"_Interesting_." Kakashi-sensei thought as while Gai does weighting training on his arms, he doesn't wear the weight wristbands. Another small difference between him and Naruto.

"...And you kept them on during evaluation. Any reason why would you keep the weight on for entire evaluation?" Naruto mentally winced when he felt sensei's voice became colder.

"Because father said not to take them off unless-"

"Unless what, Naruto?"

Naruto swallowed before answering, "Unless I am fighting to survive or to save the lives of comrades." He felt Kakashi-sensei studying him for a bit before sighing.

"As noble as that sounds...That is not good enough." Kakashi-sensei said.

"_What?_" Naruto thought with surprised look on his face.

"Although it was just 'evaluation', am I not dangerous enemy?"

"Yes..." Naruto said, knowing that sensei, being seasoned jounin like his father, held back on him and his team mates.

"Tell me, how long does it take you to drop the weights? All of them." Sensei referring to wristbands and the weights covered by legwarmers.

"...5-6 seconds." Naruto answered after quick calculation in his mind.

"That is more than enough time for me or enemy to injure or kill you or your comrades. Do you think that an enemy will just stand still and let you drop the weights down?"

"..." Naruto didn't say anything. His father has mentioned the racing challenges between him and Kakashi-sensei when they were younger.

"How often do you take them off?"

"Usually take them off before showering or to sleep. Sometime in sparring or weight lifting." His home does have personal gym, though his father sometime make the use of rocks as training.

"I do not mind if you wear them when doing the D-rank missions, however when doing C-rank or higher missions, you will take them off. Otherwise, the enemy or two will find you in weak position, even when heading back to Konoha. Think about that, Naruto. Another thing is when we were doing the missions last weeks..." Kakashi-sensei goes on for couple minutes.

**Later...**

Kakashi-sensei, standing front of three genins with upset expression on their face, sighed and began to address them, "Now you have short rest and have heard the praise and criticism. I know all of you are upset with the criticism, however you all have the ability to improve yourself. As sensei, I will help you."

Seeing that none of them say anything, sensei cleared throat and said, "Alright. Here what we will do now for one hour, I will teach you another chakra control and you will work on it. We will take twenty minutes lunch break, where I will explain what the schedule will be like, starting tomorrow and afterward. After lunch, we will train in ninjutsu or chakra control, depending on your progress. Any question?"

He waited for a bit before saying, "Very well. Follow me." He turned with three genin following him with silence. He led them to a small group of tall trees and turned to face the genins.

"I assume you all know how to do the leaf exercise?"

All three genins nodded as they have learn that exercise back in the Academy, where they have to concentrate their chakra to make a leaf stick to their forehead or somewhere on body.

"Good. I will show you the slightly advanced exercise known as the tree climbing."

Kakashi-sensei noticed only Sasuke and Sakura raised their eyebrow in skeptical manner, while Naruto didn't. It seems Naruto already know how to climb the tree or just heard of it from his father or someone. Regardless, he will still explain it and provide a demonstration for Sakura's and Sasuke's benefit.

"I know what you're thinking. Climbing a tree? We already know how. But the difference is we will climb without using hands. Watch." Without waiting for Sakura or Sasuke to say something, Kakashi-sensei turned around and channeled his chakra to bottom of his shinobi sandals before walking up a tree and down. Without using hands.

Upon stepping on the ground, he began to explain the basic of Tree Climbing exercise with all three genin listening, "Now, what I just did is..."

* * *

**Author: **This is pretty much when Kakashi decided to change his daily lesson plans. Did Gai has something to do with it?

Also, in Naruto show/manga, I do not know how long Team Seven has been in service before Naruto demanded for first C-rank to Wave Country. For this story, I'm thinking two months or maybe different C mission.

64 kg is almost 140 lbs. Shinobi children have different standard compared to civilian children. Sakura is civilian child while Naruto and Sasuke are shinobi children.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:**The Youthful Impact

**Rating:**T for violence

**Disclaimer:**Naruto belong to its creator: Masashi Kishimoto.

**Warning:**AU (alternate universe) characters.

**Summary:** Maito Gai felt heart-inspired by a blond kid's 'declaration' and decided to train him in power of youth.

"Talking"

**"Talking"**

"_Thinking"_

_**"Thinking"**_

**Ch 3 (contain minor swearing)**

**Month and half later...At the gate of Konoha... 7:57 Morning...**

"I can't wait to see what it's like outside Konoha and the forest!" Naruto exclaimed with excitement in his voice and made a fist while other hand grasped around his green backpack that he has packed up for C rank mission that has been estimated to take no more than four or five days. The first C rank mission for Team Seven after Naruto asked Kakashi-sensei about the C rank mission yesterday morning before they head to the Hokage Tower. It took a minute for all three genins to convince Kakashi-sensei to request for C rank mission from the Hokage who happily gave it to them, despite Iruka's protest.

What is their first C rank mission about, one might ask? Escorting some drunken old man named Tazuna from Land of Wave BACK to Land of Wave as bodyguards. A detail that Sakura and Sasuke weren't impressed with while Naruto wasn't bother by it. However, he got slightly miffed when Tazuna made fun of his youthful spandex suit.

Standing next to Naruto, Sasuke grunted and said, "Cool down your excitement." Like Naruto, he has a backpack on his back but blue colored.

Sakura, standing on other side of Sasuke, nodded in agreement and stated, "It's too early for that." She raised her arms as to stretch and casually went through her short pink hair. Compared to Naruto and Sasuke, she has changed her appearance drastically as she has used her kunai to cut off long burdensome hair month ago as well as purchasing the shinobi appropriate clothing, showing Kakashi-sensei that she chose to stay as a shinobi which pleased him.

Naruto look at her to see that like previous days, Sakura is wearing short sleeve dark blue shirt, dark gray sleeveless vest (same style as red vest Sakura wear in Naruto Shippuden) over it, black short, and same navy blue sandals. She would pick red sleeveless vest, but Kakashi-sensei who has accompanied her to shinobi clothing store refused to let her unless it is green, blue, black, or brown which made her upset for a bit. Especially when sensei said that red color combined with her pink hair screamed "HEY LOOK AT ME! I'M A CHERRY!" and that even Naruto look stealthier with his green spandex. When she mentioned that Team 8's sensei, Yuhi Kurenai wear a white dress with one sleeve red shirt, Kakashi-sensei responded with "If you managed to reach to Jounin, you can wear whatever you want. But now, pick one." in strict tone.

Not her appearance, but her attitude and behavior have slowly changed, though she still harbor some attraction for Sasuke, despite that what she said to Naruto about how he and Sasuke look down on her (in her point of view). At least, she act slightly less hostility to Naruto, compared to month ago after going through weeks of hellish teamwork exercises that Kakashi-sensei came up with in order to 'encourage' the team to have positive social relationship among the genins. Unsurprisingly, only Naruto enjoyed them as he like the challenges. **  
**

Still smiling, Naruto said "Sorry. I guess I got too excited. This would be first time going to different country. Are't you? Sasuke? Sakura?"

"I supposed I am." Sakura muttered while Sasuke just grunted, "Same." He hasn't change much other than talking slightly more often and being competitive with both of his team mates. No way he'll let Naruto and Sakura get better of him in training. He is an Uchiha and Uchiha is supposed to be the best. He still wear same clothes with his hair still shaped like duck rear.

"Yo." Kakashi-sensei's cheerful voice coming from behind. He has finally appeared with Tazuna, a grumpy client, walking behind him with sake bottle in his hand.

"Good. I see you three are prepared for couple days." Team Seven's sensei is pleased after he took quick glance at their backpack, "Alright, form up around the client and followed."

He began to walk to the gate guards, followed by Team Seven and Tazuna, and told them that Team Seven is going out for C rank mission which the gate guards acknowledged. One second later, Team Seven members took their first step outside Konoha and began to walk to direction of Land of Wave. A mission where they would be facing couple bandits and nothing more. However, unknown to them, this will not be standard C rank mission.

**Later...**

"Say, Tazuna-san?" Sakura called out her client, who grunted out, "What?"

"Since you came to Konoha and asked for us to escort you, am I right to assume that there is no hidden village in Land of Wave?" Sakura inquired as she is curious with Naruto and Sasuke looking at Tazuna, who took a quick sip from sake which Naruto thought it is too early and unhealthy.

"Yes..." Tazuna said, "Land of Wave does not have own hidden village. We only have militia to depend on as...protection. We're just one of minor countries."

"But," Sakura said, remembering the geology lesson back in the Academy years, "there are hidden villages like Kusagakure and Takigakure in other minor countries."

"Yes," Kakashi-sensei decided to join in, instead of reading Icha Icha novel silently, "however, those countries were just lucky to have shinobi village as part of their defense against the bandits, dangerous animals, missing nins, and other types of threats that exist." His eye narrowed when he noticed how Tazuna flinched at the words 'missing nins' and 'threats'. He will have to question him later once they reach to the destination.

While moving his eye to his Icha Icha book, he noticed that couple meters away from Team Seven's current position is a puddle of water.

"_Really. The only puddle of water out of nowhere when there's no sign of the rain. Yes, very subtle_." Kakashi pretended to be interested in his book (which is easy as it has eye-catching detail) as he lead his genins and client. He wondered if the genins notice the puddle or not. He would be very disappointed if any of them didn't. After all, he did put his effort into his duty, training and pounding them to the ground as sensei. His ears picked up the sound of Naruto explaining the concept of the Youth to old bridge builder who is either unimpressed or disturbed.

Speaking of Naruto, he wondered if Naruto will step onto the puddle and since Naruto appeared to be on direct path to a puddle and is carrying the heavier leg weights in his strong backpack with his weights around his wrist being the same as last week, if the total weight will hurt whoever hiding in the puddle. One way to find out, he supposed.

Two seconds after Kakashi-sensei passed a not so suspicious puddle, Team Seven and client heard unknown male's curse, "GAAAHHH! MY HEAD!"

Naruto quickly jumped away from the puddle while Sasuke and Sakura grabbed Tazuna and leaped away in opposite direction. All three genins got into combat-ready stances which pleased Kakashi-sensei, who just turned his head in lazy manner. The puddle suddenly erupted and two persons wearing shinobi style clothing and metal gauntlets with chain between two unknown hostiles.

One of them loudly swore while clutching his head that Naruto stepped on, "Dammit! What kind of shit are you carrying, brat?! A rock?" at Naruto, who frowned at unyouthful obscenity directed at him.

"Suck it up, Meizu! Let get him!" the second unknown nin growled. Now identified Meizu growled and charged toward Sasuke with his metal gauntlet (his left hand) while the other ran toward Sakura. They planned to get those two readied genins out of way quickly as possible since they have their back turned to Kakashi-sensei and Naruto.

Seeing incoming hostile duo, both Sasuke and Sakura pulled out their kunai while Tazuna took a step back. Meizu growled "DIE!" as he pulled his gauntlet back in preparation of stabbing Sasuke in head. The same with second hostile and Sakura. However, both of them got halted when Naruto (after dropping backpack) zoomed past Meizu and spun himself with his left foot (heel of shinobi sandal) slamming into Meizu's face sending him away while at the same time, Kakashi-sensei just appeared next to unknown hostile (facing different direction) and caught him in neck with his left arm around it.

Meizu, after getting his back slamming against the ground, bounced off and landed on his feet, sliding across the ground with his uncovered hand on his injured face that Naruto kicked him in. Unfortunately for him, his foot made a contact with Naruto's backpack that amazingly happened to be in way and caused Meizu to fall backward and landed back on the ground with the back of his head.

_CRACK!_

At the same, second hostile (because his right hand is connected to Meizu via spiky chain) got pulled out of Kakashi-sensei's arm and landed on his back against the ground with _thud _sound.

Everybody including Tazuna just stared at now unconscious Meizu and Gozu (identified by Kakashi-sensei who recognized him and Meizu as the Demon Brothers, the C-rank missing nins from Kirigakure) who is groaning in pain after being unexpectedly pulled away.

"_Either Naruto really plan it ahead or that backpack just happened to be in right place. I don't know whether to be impressed or amused._" Kakashi-sensei thought as he put his left arm down to his side. "_He managed to subdue both of them, the Demon Brothers...with a backpack that has Naruto's leg weights in it._"_  
_

"_Tch...That was just lucky placement. I can do much better than that._" Sasuke mentally scoffed and is irritated, because he was prepared to dodge an enemy's attack and counter with his own attack. He scowled at Naruto, who didn't notice it, for ruining his chance to look cool and to gloat.

"_I don't believe this. The angle and power of that kick he gave to that nin's face._" Sakura's mind attempted to come up with the explanation of how. Her eyes moved onto Naruto's backpack that has moved few centimeters away after Meizu tripped backward.

"_Amazing. Maybe I was wrong about him. That was super awesome shinobi thing I've ever seen. He must have predict the future or something._" Tazuna thought with awed expression.

Naruto blinked couple times before he turned to face his team and posed in good guy with thumb up and grin. "Yeah! The Power of Youthful backpack!" he proudly exclaimed, which caused Team Seven members to mentally sweatdrop.

While Naruto 'explaining' how youthful his backpack is to Sakura and Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei walked to where Gozu shaking his head, groaning after sitting up. Upon seeing the shadow, Gozu look up to see Hatake Kakashi, recognizing him as famous A-rank shinobi from Konohagakure, staring down at him with one eye. Gulping and knowing that he is outnumbered and outmatched, Gozu chose to surrender, "Err...I give up."

He felt intense stare from Kakashi, still looming over him.

**Minutes later...**

Kakashi-sensei sighed when Tazuna just finished telling sad story of how his daughter and his grandson will hate Konoha after confessing his lie about the mission detail and how a rich business man named Gato ruled the Land of Wave with brutality and want to prevent the bridge from being completed by ordering for Tazuna's death. The mission is no longer C rank and has jumped up to B or possibly A rank, because of the missing nins' presence and the possibility of encountering stronger missing nin if Team Seven choose to continue the mission, instead of heading back to Konoha.

"So sad...Let's continue the mission! We can't leave them defenseless! It would be unyouthful if we leave poor old man to such an unyouthful tyrant!" Naruto voiced his opinion with Sasuke and Sakura nodding in agreement, for their own different reason. Seeing that he has been outvoted plus Tazuna's drunken puppy look (which is creepy, because he's old), Kakashi-sensei relented with "Very well" and knocked Gozu out before tying him and Meizu up together with rope that came from Sasuke's backpack. Once the rope is secured, Team Seven and Tazuna continued their journey, leaving the unconscious Demon Brothers behind, tied to the tree.

**Later...**

Twenty minutes of walking after they got off the boat that ferried them to Land of Wave across the misty water, Kakashi-sensei felt something wrong as the path get more and more misty and slightly chilly. The mist doesn't feel right in term of nature. He raised his right arm, bent in 90 degree, and made fist as to signal 'halt' to Team Seven.

"What's wrong, sensei?" Sakura asked as she moved her eyes around, checking the misty environment.

Kakashi-sensei didn't answered as he made 'Quiet! Be alert!' signal to Team Seven. 5 seconds later, his danger sense screamed 'Incoming lethal projective', Kakashi-sensei shouted, "Get down!" as he and the genins ducked (with Tazuna) down just in time to avoid a large cleaving sword spinning through air and hit one of the trees.

"Well...well...well. I guess that explained it." A deep male voice said, causing Team Seven and Tazuna to turn around to see that a mist conveniently clear up, revealing a shirtless man with bandaged mask pulling a giant sword out of a tree. Kakashi-sensei narrowed his eye at the sight as he studied a man, who emitting his killing instinct. He could hear slight gulps behind him as a KI affected them more than him.

"Hatake Kakashi...The famous Copy-Nin of Konoha." said a bandaged mask man who effortlessly heaved his giant sword on his shoulder without cutting himself.

"_Damn, it's one of former Mist Swordmen, Momochi Zabuza..._" Kakashi-sensei thought as he analyzed Zubuza. He calmly muttered, "The Demon of Kirigakure."

At this, the Demon of Kirigakure grinned under his mask with his bloodlust rolling off of him while three genins and an old bridge builder tensed. He spoke in pleased tone, "I'm pleased that you heard of me."

"No thanks to your bloody reputation in Kirigakure. Since you're here...I will have to use this." Kakashi said as he pulled his headband up to revealed a Sharingan, a prized bloodline of the near-extinct Uchiha clan. Sasuke widened his eyes at the sight of Sharingan and wondered if Kakashi is an Uchiha and if no, where and how did he get a Sharingan. He narrowed his eyes as sensei has never mention about having a Sharingan.

"Form defensive perimeter around the client." Kakashi barked out an order, causing three genins including Sasuke (who decided to ask him later after the fight) to form triangle shape around Tazuna in defensive position. "He's an A-rank missing-nin from Kirigakure!"

"I feel honored that you're starting off with Sharingan against me." Zabuza effortlessly raise his giant sword to prepared to attack with his left hand going through jutsu sequence. Killing old man can wait, Zabuza decided.

"EXCUSE ME, MISSING NIN-SAN!" Naruto yelled politely, catching Zubuza's attention. Zubuza raised his nonexistent eyebrows at the sight of blond-hair genin wearing ridiculous green spandex that look like fashion reject, in his opinion. Not that he care about fashion. To his inner amusement, Kakashi sighed while other two genins let out their groan.

"What?" he growled at blond genin. He was about to perform Hidden Mist jutsu and this blonde has a nerve to ruin his concentration.

"Your sword look heavy and you holding it with one hand. How much does your sword weigh?"

Out of all, Zubuza wasn't expecting this and by judging a blond genin's sincere look, it was a serious question. To be honest, he has never bother to check the weight of his sword ever since the previous user passed the sword's ownership to him. Without turning his head, Zabuza lifted his sword up and down and decided to say, "It's not heavy, kid-" His eyes narrowed and the sword quickly moved to block second Kakashi's kunai stab coming from left.

However, a kunai merely passed through the sword and it and second Kakashi dissipated. "_What the-? It was a distraction_!" Zabuza thought. Thanks to his ears, he spin around just in time to block real kunai stab from real Kakashi, who just burst from his previous spot.

Staring at mismatched pair of eyes, Zabuza growled, "I'm insulted if you think I can be distracted by a mere clone jutsu."

Kakashi jumped back and toss a kunai at Zabuza, who blocked it with his giant sword. However, this gave Kakashi enough time to execute a Fireball jutsu, a weaker version of the Grand Fireball jutsu.

"Fireball jutsu." Kakashi called out as a fireball that is bigger than house cat appeared out of his mouth without burning his mask.

Zabuza dodged by jumping to his right, causing Kakashi's Fireball to hit a tree and dispersed with a large black scorch mark on a tree. Without hesitation, Zabuza moved his sword to block multiple kunai. His eyes widened when he picked up the explosive tags attached to each of kunai. "_Damn_!" Zabuza cursed in his mind.

BOOM!

Kakashi quickly moved his eyes around to look for Zabuza as he know that a swordman has used Replacement jutsu with something. A Water Clone, most likely. He let a quiet curse when the area began to fill with heavy mist, obstructing his eyesight. He will have to depend on his nose and ears. Not wanting his genin team to die from surprise attack, he let a warning, "Stay on your guard! He's known for silent killing."

Zabuzza's voice chuckled before speaking, "There are 8 targets..."

Kakashi and others tensed as the voice continued, "Throat, spinal cord, lungs, livers, jugular vein, artery, kidney, and hearts...What to pick..." The voice chuckled darkly again while Kakashi's eye moving around, attempting to see along with straining his ears. It appeared that Zabuza's voice is coming from everywhere. "_That's one way to use psychological warfare. Intimidating and confusing the enemies_." Kakashi thought as he grasped his kunai in reverse grip in preparation of getting attack by Zabuza.

Few seconds later, he mentally cursed himself and thought "_Off course. Tazuna_!" Without wasting a second and with burst of energy, he ran to where the genin and Tazuna at with his kunai readied.

_CLANG!_

Kakashi has managed to block Zabuza's attack and quickly stabbed him with kunai in abdomen. Zabuza grunted and turned into water, revealing himself to be a Water Clone. Kakashi tensed in defensive position and quickly ask his genins and Tazuna if they're alright.

"We're fine. No scratch." Sasuke answered with slight hint of nervousness.

"Yeah, don't worry about us, but sensei?" Naruto said as quietly as possible, knowing that it's time to be serious.

"Yes?" Kakashi said, still on guard.

"Why don't you just use your youthful wind jutsu to blow the mist away?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi muttered, "Good idea." and went through several hand signs before calling out, "Wind Release: Breakthrough", blowing one of the wind jutsu that he has copied with his Sharingan when he was in Anbu.

Zabuza growled with annoyance as the mist has been pushed away from the area, making it clear for the Copy-nin to see him just in time to block his sword swing. However, the momentum of his sword has proven to be too much and it cleave through Kakashi's torso like it was nothing. This caused the genin team and an old man to widened their eyes with visible shock and fear. Zabuza chuckled, but immediately snarled when Kakashi turned out to be Water Clone.

"_What the-? When did he-?_" Zabuza's thought got interrupted when his eyes caught a sight of multiple kunai traveling toward his head. He bought his sword up as to block, however the kunai turned out to be fake.

"_What? Illusion?_" Zabuza thought and grunted when he felt something hard as rock kicked him in rib. The kick was strong enough to cause him to slide couple feet away from the genin and old man. Zabuza glared at a blond genin, who was responsible for that kick. His ears picked up "Good kick" from a pink hair girl. Before he could do something, Kakashi quickly appeared behind him and stabbed him in the back with kunai.

Zabuza snarled and with his strength, he swing his sword to hit Kakashi. Thanks to his Sharingan, Kakashi jumped back, leaving a kunai sticking in his enemy's back that is bleeding. Kakashi briefly nodded to his left where the genin standing as to said "Good job for kicking him away from our client".

"You...stabbed me in back." Zabuza growled while glaring at Kakashi who bore serious and calm expression.

Kakashi coldly replied, "We're shinobi" before throwing his kunai at Zabuza who growled.

"_Damn him. Damn kunai_." Zabuza cursing in his mind. Ignoring the pain in his back, he swing his sword to deflect a kunai and charged toward Kakashi, who proceed to go through the hand signs.

"Oh no, you don't!" Zabuza roared as he raised his sword and when close enough, he bought his sword down to cut Kakashi down.

"Sensei!" two of the genin screamed only to sighed in relief while Zabuza raged when Kakashi turned out to be Water Clone. He felt his blood stopped he heard Kakashi's voice coming from opposite direction. He turned around to see Kakashi, standing in spot where he was, going through the hand signs. Zabuza widened his eyes when Kakashi has completed the hand sign sequence and called out, "Fire Release: Fire Dragon" with his right hand on his mouth.

Seeing a blazing hot serpentine-like dragon coming toward him, Zabuza loudly swore and despite the pain in his back, he jumped in air and seconds later, a fire dragon slammed into where he was at.

_BOOM!_

Falling toward Kakashi who just stop breathing flame out, Zabuza roared, "Die!"

Kakashi jumped side way just in time for a giant sword creating a crater on the ground. He calmly stared at Zabuza who began to breathe heavily with his back still bleeding out. Zabuza charged toward him, swinging his sword with one hand. Thanks to the power of his Sharingan, Kakashi managed to avoid each of Zabuza's swing by ducking and leaning backward and side ways while moving backward with Zabuza moving forward. He has m

Later, Kakashi felt his back hit one of the trees behind him and ducked down. The giant sword cut a tree down like it was a butter. Kakashi immediately kicked the Demon of Mist in chest, pushing him away from him. However, Zabuza used his sword to stop his slide and with his sword in the ground, he began to go through the sequence._  
_

Kakashi followed the suit by preparing his own jutsu.

"Water Release..." Zabuza snarled as he was about to hit the final hand sign. Unfortunately, Kakashi has already finished the sequence before him and calmly called out, "Water Release: Raging Torrent."

"_WHAT?_" Zabuza mentally screamed as the water front of Kakashi began to rise up and transformed into Raging Torrent before expanding. Zabuza quickly roared, "RAGING TORRENT!" with the water forming around him like whirlpool. But he was too late as Kakashi's water jutsu collided and broke through his jutsu. Zabuza roared as he felt the water slamming into him.

Five seconds later, Kakashi canceled his water jutsu and stood up, feeling strain from his chakra-taxed Sharingan. He mentally sighed when he saw that Zabuza, lying against the tree, still breathing and holding his sword with blood and water on the ground.

"_This fight is taking too long. I better end this_." Kakashi thought as he drew another kunai from his pouch and walked toward where Zabuza at with intent to cut his throat. However something unexpected happened as several senbons appeared and flew right into Zabuza's neck, causing him to stop breathing. An unknown voice spoke in soft but loud volume, causing Kakashi and others to turned to see a person on tree branch, wearing a mask.

"Thank you for weakening him. I've been tracking him for long time."

"Your mask...You're hunter nin from Kirigakure?" Kakashi asked, feeling wary of this nin as he or she chose a perfect time to appeared.

"That's right." a hunter-nin jumped off a branch and landed next to Zabuza's body. Kakashi's eyes narrowed when a hunter-nin bend down to grab Zabuza and a sword. Feeling suspicious, he asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, but there are some secrets that must be destroyed. To protect Kirigakure. I must take my leave."

"I don't think s-!" Kakashi's body chose a good time to fail him, thanks to taxing Sharingan. He fell to his knee with his left hand on the ground while covering his Sharingan with right hand.

Sasuke and Sakura widened their eyes while Naruto just ran and reappeared next to Kakashi, holding him to prevent him from falling to the ground, "Sensei, are you alright?"

Kakashi would frowned as the fight has yet to end because a hunter-nin could be an enemy, however he was too tired to reprimand him and ended up pulling his headband down to covered his Sharingan.

"Now, I must take my leave." a hunter-nin said. Before anyone could say something, a hunter-nin disappeared along with Zabuza and his sword.

Naruto, thanks to his strength, pulled unconscious Kakashi on his back with Tazuna, following Sakura and Sasuke, telling the genins that he will show them to his home.

* * *

**Author: **And Team Seven is off with good start. Yes, the fight between Kakashi and Zabuza is different. And yes, Zabuza didn't use water prison in this story. Yes, Naruto and others have been standing around Tazuna for whole duration of Kakashi's fight. Well, they were protecting their client. Yes, Naruto kicked Zabuza in rib.

Next chapter will have Naruto and others fight.


End file.
